Challenges seen as Kentucky's test scores drop as expected

Nov. 2, 2012

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The Courier-Journal

Kentucky’s higher academic standards took an expected toll on statewide reading and math proficiency rates when the state released its first results under its new “Unbridled Learning” testing system Friday.

State data showed that 48 percent of elementary students, 47 percent of middle-schoolers and 52 percent of high school students scored proficient or better in reading. By contrast, the rates last year were 76, 70 and 66 percent, respectively.

Math proficiency came in at 40 percent at the elementary school level, 41 percent at middle schools and 40 percent at high schools, figures that were also lower than last year, according to the Kentucky Department of Education data.

State Education Commissioner Terry Holliday said the results were expected, given that the new standards in math and reading raised the bar for academic proficiency. In fact, he said, the new results weren’t as low as some had predicted.

“I think we came out a little better than expected,” he said. “But we’ve got a lot of work to do. ... I think our kids and teachers will rise to this challenge.”

Statewide, 397 schools were classified as proficient or distinguished.

But 69 percent of the state’s 1,296 schools fell into the “needs improvement” category, which means they ranked below the 70th percentile among schools statewide, based on factors such as achievement, growth, achievement gaps, graduation rates and college readiness.

Among those, the state classified 284 as “focus schools,” requiring them to close achievement gaps and raise graduation rates.

“Those schools will have to revise their improvement plan, and we’ll be monitoring them,” Holliday said, also noting that 41 “priority schools,” formerly called persistently low-performing schools, will continue to get a much higher level of attention and help.

In a new points system where schools score between 1 and 100 based on achievement, growth, gaps, college and career readiness and graduation rates, state schools averaged 55.2.

Kentucky posted a 78 percent graduation rate. In addition, 47 percent of the state’s 42,116 students were deemed college- or career-ready, up from 34 percent in 2010.

Holliday plans to visit a number of high-performing districts, including Boyle County, which he said ranked in the 95th percentile despite having high rates of family poverty.

“I’ll be visiting the highest-performing districts to find out what they’re doing, sharing with others,” he said.